adams



DNTTTED ST1-TQM@ PATENT OTTTDE.

R. A. ADAMS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

GRAINERS TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 31,363, dated February 12, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT A. ADAMs, of Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Machine for Graining Substances, in Stain, Distemper, and Oil, in Imitation of IVoods, Marbles, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in providing a. piece of leather of any required size, and carving or pressing, one side of it, so as to imitatethe lines and figures of the wood or marble I wish to grain. I then take a piece of dressed board or plank, of equal size with the leather, and work or bend ity flatwise into a crescent shape; and after shellacking or varnishing it, I cover evenly its outside face, with soft cloth, batting or other soft, flexible material; and then I place my leather on this, and firmly fasten the whole to the board or plank with tacks or otherwise, so that the smooth side of the leather shall lie on the cloth next to the board or plank, and the carved or pressed side of the leather shall be outside and form the face of the machine. Two handles may now be fastened, one near each end of the machine, on the back side, or the side opposite to the face, for the purpose of handling it, when the machine is ready for use.

To enable others skilled in the art to use my invention, I will succinctly describe my manner of using it.

A represents, upon the drawing, the crescent shaped board.

C, represents the leather, gutta percha, or metal, face upon which is cut or carved the style of figure to be transferred.

B, represents the cloth or other soft material which intervenes between the board A, and the figured face O.

I usually tack or fasten a piece of thick cloth, or other similar material, on a table or board larger somewhat then the face of the machine, and then spread my stain or graining color on the cloth to saturation. I then properly prepare the substance to be grained, with the ground in the usual way, and when ready to receive the graining ap` plication, I press the carved face of my machine on the cloth aforesaid, saturated with the stain or graining color, till the carved lines and figures are wet, and apply it to the substance prepared to be grained as aforesaid, gently pressing the machine from one end to the other, when it will be found that the lines and figures, as carved on the facev of said machine, will be transferred in color to the ground of the substance prepared as aforesaid, producing, if properly done, all the shades, lights, figures, &c. peculiar to the wood or marble itis desired to imitate; then blend and glaze properly, and the work is complete.

For the facing of my machine, I have used gutta-percha, india-rubber, and other similar materials, susceptible of being carved or stamped with lines and figures, as well as metal molded in proper shape from patterns, but I find no material so well adapted to the purposes `desired as leather as aforesaid. I use the cloth or other flexible material as a lining between the wood and the leather, so that in giving under the pressure applied to the machine, although uneven on its face, a perfect impression may be made.

The machine may be made of any required size, so as to grain any sized panel or surface at one impression; and the lines and figures may be carved so as to fully represent any texture and feature of the wood to be imitated. For instance, a set of machines may be required, of dierent sizes and finish on the face, so that in graining a door of several panels in imitation of oak, all the various growths of the wood may be faithfully represented. I have tried machines made of straight boards or planks, and also blocks turned perfectly round, but find no shape so well adapted to the work as that already described. I will add that the materials in common use for staining and graining purposes are equally adapted to my machine.

What I claim and d-esire to secure by Letters Patent, irs- Carved or stamped leather, gutta-percha, or other flexible material, above referred to, secured to a crescent or other suitably shaped board or plank, substantially in the manner, and for the purposes set forth herein.

ROBERT A. ADAIVIS. 

